just a kiss
by Iloveyourfreckles
Summary: "Newt!" Theseus cried out. "What is it, Theseus, so that you enter like this and without knocking?" Newt got annoyed as he was pursuing his writing. "We have no time to debate or row. Tina is leaving for New York in half an hour." The older brother stated. Newt's pen fell with a thumping noise on the desk. He raised his head sharply, stunned. "What? Why? "He managed to whisper.


**Just a kiss. **

_Author's note:__ Hello there. I am back with a little short story which takes place just after the events in Paris. As always, it is centred on Newt and Tina._

_A quick reminder: I am French. So, if there are some mistakes in this story, I am terribly sorry. I am trying hard to correct them and they are mine._

_I would like to extend a special thank you to #Hellodie who advised me and edited this story ._

_Enjoy the reading and don't forget to tell me what you are thinking _

_Disclaimer:__ I don't own any of this except the idea of the story. The characters and all their universe belong to the wonderful J. K. Rowling._

A few weeks had passed since Paris' events. Tina, Jacob, Theseus, Nagini and Newt had to find a new way of life after Queenie's and Credence's choices and Leta's death.

Each of them was really reacting differently but they didn't talk about it and only talked to each other when necessary.

Theseus was immersing himself in his work to find Grindelwald and his followers. He spent hours locked in his office. Like this, he wasn't thinking about Leta which hurt like hell. He even decided sometimes to sleep on the sofa in his office because he couldn't come back to the flat that he shared with her or in Newt's house. The atmosphere was unbearable in the two places. He avoided everyone refusing their pity, their condolences and above all he didn't want to see his brother. Of course, the relationship wasn't in best terms before but since Leta's death it was worse than ever. The fragile thread that united them seemed to have broken. Theseus didn't know how to fix all this mess.

As for Tina, she was immersing herself in her work too. She was desperately looking for any information about her sister. It had consumed her to see her leave with that monster and she didn't understand her choice. The only things she was sure of was the guilt and shame she felt towards both Queenie and Newt. She was convinced that she had made the right decisions and that's where it had led her. After their visit to professor Dumbledore she declined Newt's invitation, preferring the solitude of a room at the Leaky Cauldron. A hurricane of feelings was boiling inside her and she didn't know what to do with them. She thought that solitude and living as a recluse were the best options for her now. Above all, she probably wouldn't find the words to appease the pain of her magizoologist because hers was just as big, even if it was different.

Nagini and Jacob, as for their part, had found comfort in each other. They shared much the same grief and understood each over. The friendly baker had taken the young maledictus under his wing. They spent lot of time together in the kitchen of Newt's house where he told her everything, he knew about muggle cooking while she told him her memories. Sometimes they helped Bunty too but only when Newt wasn't there.

As for our famous author, he was not usually talkative but everything that had happened in Paris had only exacerbated his sensibility. He was now more closed than an oyster. He left his desk only a few times for breakfasts or dinners. Like Tina and Theseus, he spent his time at working on his second edition of his manuscript or taking care of his creatures with great affection. Every time someone cared about him, he replied that he was doing very well.

The two brothers had both taking refuge in the work to hide or perhaps to forget the pain that was gnawing at them and about which they didn't dare to talk.

It was already too long since everything had happened in Paris.

Like every morning, Tina entered the auror department to join her team at 8 AM. She found a note from Travers' secretary which ordered her to present herself at 9 AM in his office. She sighed. What did he want? Usually, she talked with Theseus to solve the problems. What she liked because they surprisingly got along very well. Many other aurors had said that they were quite a pair. This made her happy because she could have some secrets about Newt, their childhood, their family and the relationship between the two brothers. After all, she only knew what Newt had told her and it was his side of the story. But Theseus never revealed too much. And he was becoming a good friend, that was for sure.

During one hour, she turned and tossed her files pacing around like a lion in a cage. Finally, no longer able to hold on, she presented herself ten minutes early in Travers office. She knocked.

"Come in." He ordered in cold tone. "Miss Goldstein, you are punctual. Have a seat."

"Thank you, Mr Travers." She calmly answered.

What could be so important? Maybe it was about Queenie and Credence?

"I was in contact with Mme Picquery yesterday. She asked me to send you back at MACUSA tomorrow at 5 PM. Apparently you are needed here. Your mission in England has come to an end. I suppose you will gladly go back to your country and your life in America. She said you could pursue your researches with your colleagues there. "

The reality came back to her like a slap in the face. She didn't answer because she had nothing to say. It was in order after all.

Tomorrow she wouldn't work with Theseus. She wouldn't enjoy the delicious pastries of Jacob and his joyfulness and above all she would lose Newt. She had lost all this time because of her stubbornness and she was going to leave him without knowing when she would see him again. Her heart was going to break in millions of tiny pieces like crystal once again. She was not ready for that. At this instant she decided that she will write to each of her friends a letter. She wouldn't have the strength to say goodbye to them face to face, especially Newt. She knew it was cowardly of her but it was her only choice.

"A portkey will wait for you in my office at 5.00 PM tomorrow. You may leave now, Ms Goldstein." He dismissed her.

He didn't have to say it twice. She got up quickly and rushed in her office, all her emotions menacing to explode.

What she didn't know was that someone had spotted her going out of Travers' office.

The next day at 4.00 PM, Theseus rushed out of Travers' office running. He was angry against his superior due to the fact that he had sent him on a mission and for he had announced to him that Tina was leaving England. He had seen her the day before rushing through the hallways probably to her office. Sadly, he had had no opportunity to talk to her before his mission. He had been ordered to go without delay. And now was her best partner leaving England and his brother who was madly in love with the young woman was not informed of her departure.

He exited the Ministry of Magic and apparated straightaway in front of Newt's house. He hurried in without knocking, hailing his young brother.

"Hello Theseus!" Said an exasperated Jacob. "There is no need to yell like this. Newt is not here. "

Worrying could be read all over Theseus' features.

"What is it?" Asked a worried Jacob.

"Tina is leaving for New York in an hour and Newt doesn't know. Do you know where he is?" He eagerly asked him.

"At the Ministry. He said he has some researches to do and needed some books which were here." Jacob explained.

Theseus groaned. What a waste of time! He thought.

"Thank you, Jacob!" Shouted the auror as he rushed out of the house.

He entered the Ministry again and ran to Newt's office located in the Beast division. All the people that he was crossing paths wondered where was going the head auror and why he was in such a hurry. He finally arrived and burst into the young magizoologist's office. The latter was sitting at his desk, books opened all around as he was writing.

"Newt!" Theseus cried out.

"What is it, Theseus, so that you enter like this and without knocking?" Newt got annoyed as he was pursuing his writing.

"We have no time to debate or row. Tina is leaving for New York in half an hour." The older brother stated.

Newt's pen fell with a thumping noise on the desk. He raised his head sharply, stunned.

"What? Why? "He managed to whisper.

"In short, Picquery wants her to come back to New York to continue the investigations with her colleagues from MACUSA. She is no longer "needed" here. But we don't have any more time for chatter. We have to hurry before the portkey starts up if you want to say goodbye to her. Come on!" He urged him.

They ran through the ministry's hallways to Travers' office. Theseus stopped a few feet away letting Newt in alone. The young man hesitated a few seconds the hand on the doorknob. Theseus pushed him on the back to encourage him.

Newt was worried because they haven't really talk since the rally. So, he didn't know what to expect and how she would react to his presence. But he took a long breath, pushed the door open anyway and silently closed it behind him.

Tina was there her back to him. He took a few steps towards her and she suddenly turned around, out of her torpor.

"Tina." Newt murmured.

"Newt." She whispered back.

She tensed. How did he know? Yet she had done everything to leave discreetly and there he was in front of her. He was red all over the face. His lovely freckles were even more noticeable than usual. His red brown hair was more tousled than ever. In Tina's eyes, he was even more attractive and handsome than the first time she had laid eyes him. As she feared, her heart broke at his sight. How was it going to be possible to leave England and the man she loved above all else?

She was about to take a few steps away from him when she felt something which was catching hold of her blue leather coat's sleeve. When she looked down, she instantly recognised one of her favourite creatures: Pickett.

With his long arms, he was holding back their two sleeves.

"Oh! Hello Pickett!" She said smiling.

Newt frowned and looked at the animal with insistence, silently asking him to let her go. But the stubborn bowtruckle climbed on Tina's hand, pulling Newt's sleeve towards the young woman's hand. He shyly took it, fearing that she would retrieve it but she did nothing of the sort. The little creature, satisfied with his work, climbed on her arm to sit on her shoulder. He stuck out his tiny tongue and blew a raspberry at his owner. The young woman chuckled at the beast's behaviour.

He watched her closely not knowing what to do and what to say once again. She was so natural and that was making him falling in love with her all over again. But honestly, the words didn't want to come out and he truly was afraid of saying something which would be wrong.

Finally, after a long silence, Tina spoke first.

"I should have come and talk to you before. I am sorry Newt, to have been such a coward. But I think there were too much emotions and feelings. What happened with Leta should have been a lesson to me. I suppose I was afraid of my own feelings or to tell you something which was wrong or would hurt you." She explained.

"I am sorry too. I am also a coward as well as you. I began something in the French ministry and I should have come and tell everything which was on my mind. My travel documentation was denied five times, even if Theseus helped me in vain. One thing was obsessing me during all these months and after we stopped writing to each other: go back to New York to see you, give you my book and more than anything else tell you that I can't live without you. "He confessed.

Tina didn't say anything. Tears were running on her cheeks because of the culpability she was feeling for this waste of time, the love she felt for this amazing man and the hurt to leave him. Then Newt approached her put a strand of hair behind her ear like in the docks. At the tenderness of his gesture, she closed her eyes to cherish the moment. The young man seized the opportunity, erasing the distance between them by taking her in his arms and kissed her. For many people, it would be just a kiss. But for them, it was a symbol of forgiveness, a promising future and sincere love.

When they separated, they leaned their heads face to face.

"Come back to me as soon as you can." He told her.

"I will. I will talk to Madam Picquery and ask her to transfer my post here in Theseus's team. There is nothing waiting for me in New York, not anymore. Everything I love is here in London. "She said.

He kissed her tenderly on the cheeks.

"I entrust my heart to you, please take care of it." He lovingly asked her.

"And you, take care of mine too." She asked him in return.

Then the first tremors of the portkey made itself heard. She let her last kiss linger on his lips to memorize his taste. He stroked her one last time on the cheek looking at her straight in the eyes and then called Pickett back to himself. The beast joyfully jumped in his outstretched hand. The young auror cast him one last look and smiled which he returned before disappearing for good.

The Magizoologist blankly watched the place where she stood a few seconds before , then turned his heels, a lump in his throat. When he opened the door, Theseus was there waiting for him. Instantly the older Scamander put an arm around his younger brother's shoulders in a conforting gesture.

"C'mon, I'll buy a butterbeer. We have a lot to talk about." He said with enthusiasm.

Newt cast one last look at the door, thinking about his Tina and hoping she'll be back to him very soon.

_The End__._


End file.
